The Sun. — London, England, 1864-01-11 00:00:00

The Chinese Auxiliary Force, The following is the corrisponcicnee relating to the disbanding of the E , _;rope7ln Chir.e3e naval tliree under Captain Sherard °Morn : No, 1. PRINCU RUNG'S LETTEU OF INSTRUCTrONS TO INszFi.o TO 11 GE= ral., " Pekin, Oct. 24, 1802. " The rrinea of Kong, chare•cd. by Imperial authority with the superintendence of foreign affairs, addresses a communication to the Insp,:ctor•Gene ral, Mr. 11. N. Lay. " The official records show that at the interview which the Acting Inspector-General had with me in the autumn of 1881, he represented that, in order to render our navy efficient, it was absolutely neces sary that foreign vessels and foreign guns should be procured. He subsequently addressni me in writing, bgging that orders might be issued to the custom houses to contribute towards the purchase of foreign vessels and guns. The Foreign-office thereupon memorialized the Emperor on the subject, and his Majesty's assent having been obtained, orders were issued to the custom houses to pay into the hands of the Acting Inspector-General the amount sanctioned for the above purpose, and the Acting Inspector-General was desired to act without delay. " The Acting Inspector-General has now come to the capital, and apprised us that all the arrange ments connected with the purchase of vessels and guns ho has officially handed over to the Inspector- General, Mr. Lay, to carry out on his behalf in England, and that he has remitted the moneys paid by the custom houses to the Inspector-General Lay, who is proceeding in the matter with the utmost despatch. "Mr. Hart has stated further that the ability of the Inspector-General Lay is great, and that he possesses a mind which embraces the minutest de tails ; that he is, therefore, fully competent to make the requisite arrangements with more than a satis factory result, and he has accordingly requested us to address a daspatch to the Inspector-General Lay to serve as his authority. "In any arrangements which the Acting Inspec tor-General might have made with respect to the purchase of vessels and guns, there is no doubt he would have taken the greatest pains and would have left no point unconsidered, but as ho has now re quested that the management of the whole affair should be intrusted to the Inspector-General, this will be, of course, still more satisfactory. " I therefore address this despatch to the Inspec tor-General and transfer the management of the affair into his hands. "There are three important points : " 1. The purchase of the vessels, guns, gunpowder, coal, and the miscellaneous articles for the use of the vessels. "2. The engagement of officers, gunners, and seamen, and others for services in the vessels ; and the arranging the terms and conditions of every de scription of agreement. " 3. The retention, as proposed, of a sum of money to meet the salaries and wages that may be settled by the agreements, and also to provide for the payment of compensations and other items in time to come. " The above three points we leave the Inspector General to dispose of as in his discretion he may see fir. The money already collected from the custom houses has been transmitted through Mr. Hart to Mr. Lay, and that still due should be, as collected, handed through Mr. Hart to Mr. Lay, who is alone charged with the responsibility of its disbursement ; and we leave it to Mr. Ley to appoint, if he think fit, a person to help him, and also to make whatever arrangements may in his judgment seem desirable, with a view to the successful carrying out of the objects in view. " China is in urgent need of the vessels and guns: ftn t should therefore be made to effect with the least possible delay their completion and despatch to Shanghai, there to await orders. The work (put into the vessels) should be strong, the materials genuine, both of super-excellent quality, that so the high trust we have confided (to Mr. Lay) may be fulfilled. " In the event of the Inspector-General's returning to his post before these ships and guns are ready and despatched to China, and if any other circumstances, which we cannot here foresee, should arise, let the Inspector-General report thereupon to us himself, and recommend a person trustworthy in ail respects to act in his room—so that, in respect of the arrangements subsequently made, the responsibility may be definitely fixed." No. 2. " AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BETWEEN INSPECTOR. GENERAL 11. N. LAY .4ND CAPT. SIIERARD 01 - 3ORN R.N., C. 13. " London, Jan, 16, 1863. " The following conditions embody our mutual understanding : " 1. Osborn agrees to take command of the European Chinese navy for a period of four years, and stipulates that there shall be no other European naval Commander:in - Chief. ( . 6 1 2. Ozborn, as Commander-in-Chief, is to have entire control over all vessels of European construc tion, as well as native vessels manned with Euro peans that may be in the employ of the Emperor of China, or under his authority, of the native tznilds. " 3. Lly will procure from the Emperor such an authority as may be necessary to elver Osborn's acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the European Chinese mu. " 4. Osborn undertakes to act upon all orders of the Emperor which may be conveyed direct to Lay, and Osbcrn engages not to attend to any orders conveyed through any other channel. " 5. Lay, upon his part, engages to refuse to be the medium of any orders of the reasonableness of which he is not satisfied. 6. Osborn will appoint nll officers and men on board the vessels of the force, subject, however, to the approval of Lay as the representative of the Emperor. 7. Osborn's subordinates will not be at liberty to act without his permission, and Lay will not authorise his subordinates to call upon them to act without having first consulted Osborn and obtained the necessary order. " 8. Lay and Osborn agree to carefully inquire into any complaints that may be preferred against the officers and men employed in the force by Chinese officials. "' 9. The force being European, it is indispens able that the flag under which it acts should have an European character. " ' First, to secure its own efficiency. Secondly, to insure for it due respect in the eyie of the foreign communities. • Lay, therefore, agrees that the flag shall be green with two yellow diagonal bands bearing in the centre a blue imperial dragon. • ; Green is chosen because it is rarely used by European powers, and therefore not lik e ly t o b e confounded by any other national colours. 10. Lay undertakes to procure from the Emperor, as soon as possible, a sum of money as a guarantee fund, to cover the pay and maintenance of the force for four years, and in the meantime it is understood that the vessel with their equipment will constitute the security for the just claims of the force. " 11. In the event of the death of either Lay or Osborn, these conditions which are entered into with the authority of the Emperor of China are not, it is understood, in either case to be departed from. " • 12. The conditions of this understanding, the terms of the formal agreement, and the printed in structions, shall be formally ratified by the Emperor at Pekin, before Osborn shall be called open to act with the force under his command. g‘ • 13. In the event of O s b orn ' s d ea th from dig" ease, whilein command of the force, Lay will re commend the Emperor of China to make some grant to his widow and children. (Signed) " 'll, N. LAY. SIMARD OSBORN.' " Our motive for drawing np the above memo randum is that there may be hereafter no deviation from a plan of action, long deliberated and decided upon by mutual consent, "We have to deal with Asiatics prone to deceit and falsehood, ready to evade any engagemcn.t, directly it interferes with their views or monetary interests. We are about to afford them ma terial military aid, and it behoves us to guard TIE SUN, LOADON, This is not correct. So far from requesting that a Chinese should be appointed. I told the Ministers when they brought forward the proposition that it W 41,8 altogether out of the question. f The Prince chooses to assume Viat the rules were agreed to by me, while the fact is that I declared over and over again that assent to them was imps Isible, my most decided opinion being that to accept the tern; s proposed would be to court certain failure and discredit. I forwarded a translation of our agreement officially to the Prince, and in my covering letter called his special atten • tion to the point embodied in that ef. :reement—viz., that you would be under the orders of the I. nperial Government at Pekin, and the Iwperial Governmen x alone. His Highness ignored myletter, and up to this time, has not acknowledged its receipt. Neither has he, I may a dd, approved the gene ral agreement and book of instructb )us, which shows (were other proofs wanting) that he conid a have been under the impression that the ptestious rel ye to the steam sleet were disposed of. Capt. ()Aorta assists the ChineSe Gov6mment in the command of the fleet lie will take !le instructions of the Governors-General and Govern=ors as to the employment or distribution of the force, In nil operations he is always to confer personally with those officers before Either undertaking or sta3ing these, and is to accept the Chinese decision es final.* " 2. Captain Osborn, in the capacity of Assistant Commander-in-Chief to the Chinese Government, will receive a commission from the Foreign-ofike giving him the requisite powers. The foreign crews will be duly controlled by him; and in the event of any individual injuring the people or acting in a lawless manner, Captain Osborn will exercise due severity in the punishment of the same, in order to the sustaining of proper discipline. " 3. In order to the insuring of beneficial results from the ficet now purchased by the Chinese Go vernment, Chinese sailors, as time and eircum• stances will permit, ought to be chosen for service on board the steamers, in order that they may be come experienced, and that long continued practice may prevent them from forgetting their duties, and thereby rendering the fleet useless. The working of the ships and the management of the guns and other arms Captain Osborn and the other comman ders will exert themselves to teach to such sailors in order that they may attaia a real acquaintance with the same. "4. It is agreed that for the support of the fleet, consisting of seven steamers and one storeship, there shall be appropriated the monthly sum of 75,000 taels. This amount is to cover the expense of salaries, wages, rations, ammunition, coals, rewards, compen sations, as well as every other possible and, at the present time, impossible to be indicated expendi ture. The control of the expenditure is confided to the Inspector-General Lay. The office of Customs at Shanghai will provide 10,000 taels monthly, the Kiukiang Customs will provide 10,000 taels monthly, the Foochow Customs will provide 34,000 taels monthly, the Amoy Customs will provide 6,000 tools monthly, the Canton Customs will provide 10,000 taels monthly, and the Swatow Customs will pro vide 5,000 taels monthly. In wll will be provided monthly the sum of 75,000 taels, which in the pro portions above-mentioned will be received from each office of Customs by Mr. Lay monthly. Every three months Mr. Lay will send in an account of the expenditure to the Foreign office, which, in turn, will communicate the same to the Board of Revenue. Should there be any surplus money, Mr. Lay will retain it for future use. " 5. From the 17th day of the 6th moon—that is from the Ist day of August, it will be the duty of each of the said officers of Customs to hand over in full before making any other appropriations from the duties received, the monthly sum fixed on to the person appointed by the Inspector-General Lay to attend at the bank to receive the same. In the event of the money not being forthcoming, the In spector-General Lay will at once proceed to deduct the same from the duties. For a period of four years, and for each month during that period, this rule is to be in force." No. 5. CAPTAIN OSEORN'S REMARKS UPON PRINCE KUNG'S LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS. " Pekin, Sep. 28, 1863 " In the first place these instructions are in direct contravention of my formal agreement with Mr Lay, which runs to the following effect : " That I was to be Commander-in Chief of the European Chinese Navy, with entire control over all vessels of European construction as well as native craft manned with Europeans in the employ of the Emperor of China, or under his authority, in the employ of natives, and I was to have an authority from the Emperor to cover my acts as the Comman der-in-Chief of the European- Chinese Navy. On the other hand, I bound myself to act upon all orders from the Emperor conveyed through Mr. Lay, and not to attend to those delivered through any other source. " A copy of this agreement was furnished to the Prince, yet, in spite of it, and, indeed, ignoring it entirely (for I am told he has not even acknowledged the document), the Prince sends me orders to place myself and my people under the authority of the Foutai L(e as well as that of no less than three other provincial authorities. " Prince Kuug acknowledges that the appoint ment of Commander-in-Chief of my force was filled up by the Governor-General of Keang-soo, and ' merely confirmed by the Emperor ; and, further, he (Prince Kong) directs the said Chinese Commander in-Chief to repair on board a ship at Shanghai. This would virtually suspend me from the post I at present bold, by virtue of a temporary commission granted me by the Inspector-General, Mr. Lay, upon the authority of Prince Kong's instructions and promises of last year. " Apart from the conclusions which Mr. Lay has arrived as to the want of good faith displayed in the document before me, my own suspicions are aroused by the crafty wording of its contents. In one paragraph I am superseded, and have, apart from the Emperor, Prince Kung, and the Board called the Chinese Foreign-office, all provincial high officers placed over me ; iu another I am enjoined to act in a friendly spirit of co-operation with my superiors ; and this is immediately followed by a carefully worded sentence, in which I am distinctly warned that the distribution of tho force will be dependent upon the whim of the governors and govarnors-general of the provinces, that lam to follow their instructions in all things, and, as the original document runs, I am ' not to act, advance, retire, or remain stationary without conferring with those dignitaries, and to consider their decision as final.' "Mr. Lay says very justly in his marginal notes that those conditions would practically place me under the orders of the lowest officer on the list of either of the officials named. "I have no intention of submitting to such terms, and for the following reasons : " 1. Naval operations for the suppression of all the disorders enumerated in the Prince's orders could not be successful, fettered as I should be under such a system. It may be the Chinese system ; if so, it explains their unfitness for war or naval operations. " 2. I came here to serve the Emperor, and under him the Regent, not to be the servant of mere pro vincial authorities. On that point I stand distinctly upon the terms of my agreement. " 3. The officers and men of the force were en tered upon a specific agreement to serve me as Com.. minder-in-Chief. Directly a Chinese officer steps in as my superior in that force the agreement is null and void, and without it all law and order would cease and my power be at an end. " 4. By submitting to such instructions and vio lation of my original agreement I should at once deprive myself of the power to assist in carrying out in China the policy of Western civilisation. My force, powerful as it Rill be for good or evil, might be directed against the interests of commerce or of common humanity. Brutal butchery might be per petrated, and I should be powerless to prevent it. My men and officers, the pick of many from the Royal Navy of England, would be associated upon equal terms with the rowdies and pirates the Foutai might be pleased to employ. "My power to restrain my own men within the bounds of ordinary discipline would be nil, and the European-Chinese force, instead of being a blessing, would become a curse to the Chinese people and to the best interests of Europe in this empire. " 5. If I was weak enough to forget what is due to my own position, and attempt to act upon such instructions, I am certain that I should come to a dead-lock with the provincial authorities within a month, exactly as is at present the case with Major Gordon,R,E. He is insulted by his Chinese superior, the pay of his men suddenly stopped at the will of the Foutai, he is called upon to attempt impossibili ties and deprived of adequate forces, and ho has again, for the second time, virtually resigned office as the military coadjutor of the Foutai. Yet they * These conditions would practically place you under the orders of the lowest officer on the staff of either of the offi cials named. Prince Kung has seen that our military offi cers will act under Taoutais and Foutais, and hence it has occurred to him that if you could be persuaded to occupy a similar position the Imperial Government would be relieved of all trouble and responsibility. I have told the Ministers that I would rather see the force disbanded and the ships sold than consent to such a p ro p osition ; there can be but one naval Commandenin-Chief, yourself, and but one waster, the Imperial Ctuerhatent. lit N 14, against its being aliapplied," and the7eby bring 9cinl - 11 npon ourselves and those who in Great Bri tain have promoted our views ; above all we are to take care that the great power and pro-portionate responsibilities conferred upon usby her Mjesty's Older in Council be not abused by .- ,by our suc cessors, or by the Chinese authorities. "Clause I.—This condition needs no explanation, It is made a sine qua no by Capt. Osborn. Clatic , e `..l.—Tiiis we agree is most necessary. We are aware that for some time local Mandarins have been, without Imperial authority, purchasing ves sels of European construction, arming them, placing crews of all nations in them, and giving over the command to British or American subjects selected by themselves. Lorchas or junks commanded by Europeans, half pirates half private.ers,are swarm ing in the Yangtsze. " They claim in many cases to be men..of-war be longing to particular Mandarins, Guilds, or }longs. It is the objoat of this force to extinguish all these dangerous freebooters. They should come under Imperial authority, without which no European has a shadow of right to levy war in China. " Clause 3.—This is inserted to meet any objec- tion that might be raised on the ground that Euro peans are serving without commissions or direct authority from the Emperor. " Clauses 4 and s.—These are to meet the follow ing difficult questions :—ls this squadron to carry on war in China upon a Chinese method ? Through what channel is Capt. Osborn, unacquainted as he is with the language, to communicate with the Emperor or Regent? How shall he be protected against the charge of disobedience of orders? How are cruel or unjust orders from Pekin to be pre vented ? How shall European officers and seamen levy war for a barbarous Sovereign without being made to participate in acts which our country would repudiate ? How shall the officers be pro tected from orders, the execution of which would involve breaches of international law or treaty rights. " There is in our opinion no other way of meeting these difficulties than by arranging that, as Mr. Lay is to live in Pekin, and as the revenue which he collects is to be the guarantee for the mainte nance of the force, he, as one well competent from a knowledge of the language and people should be the channel of inter-communication between the ruler of China and Captain Osborn, and that in the event of any order being at variance with law or justice, he should submit it to the European repre sentatives, and, supported by them, decline to com municate it to Captain Osborne. The remaining clauses do not seem to us to need explanation." No. 3. INSPECTOR-GENERAL H. N. LAY, C. 13,, TO CAFTAIN SIIEUARD OSBORN, lt.N, C.B. "Pekin, Sept. 25, 1863, " Sir,—l beg to inclose for your information the translation of a letter to your address from the Prince of Rung, which was sent to me in July last, and to invite your attention to the marginal notes I have appended to it. From my remarks you will see that the Prince has not been quite accurate in making it appear that I had requested the appoint ment of a Chinese officer to command the steam fleet, or that I had consented that the fleet should be placed under the irresponsible authority of the local officials, as my letters to his Highness, which are upon record, show. " I never gave more than a qualified assent to the rules with which he has furnished you. I ac cepted the money clauses, but those having refe rence to yourself and the fleet generally I told the Ministers plainly would have to be considered upon your arrival. The Prince doubtless thought that by declaring positively that these rules had been agreed to by me the chances of your offering any opposi. tion to them would be diminished.—l have, &c., H. N. LAY. No, 4. PRINCE RUNG'S LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS TO CAP TAIN SHERARD 0:iI101tN, R.N., C.B. (WITH MR, LAY'S MAEGIYAL NOTES.) " Pekin, July 8, 1863. " His Imperial Highness the Prince of Kung issues ;hese instructions to 03born, the Assistant Com- mander-in-Chief of the C;iinese steam navy. " Whereas China, in view of the then unfinished military operations, did last year direct the Inspec tor-General of Customs, Lay, to purchase foreign steamers and guns for use iti the fight and for the subjugation of the foe, and whereas the said Inspec tor-Gcneral has arrived at Pekin, and reports that the seven steamers and the storeship purchased will shortly arrive at Shanghai, and requesting the ap pointment of an cifieer to take the command, highly recommends the said Osborn, as having hitherto in England been zealous in the performance of his duties, of high military capacity, and being throughly versed in navy affairs, able to acsist a high Chinese officer* in the manage ment of such vessels, so that there may there from be expected a speedy sweeping away of the appearance of rebellion ; and whereas I, the Prince, memorialised the Throne, requesting that the officer already nominated by the Governor-General of the Two Keang and the Governor of Keang-soo might be appointed Chinese Commander-in-Chiet of the Fleet, and that the said Osborn might be appointed Assistant Commander-in-Chief, and that the expenditure of the Beet should be controlled for a period of four years by the Inspector-General Lay; and whereas on the 231 of the sch Moon (July 8) the Imperial edict was received, ' Let it be as proposed. Respect this.' "Now, therefore, in addition to hurrying de spatches to the Governor-General of the Two Keang and the Governor of Kean-soo, that they may at once order the Chinese C o mmander-in - Chief to re pair to Shang with his officers and men, and take up his commission on board ship, it is further ex tremely proper to furnish the said Osborn with a copy of the agreemeat, in five articles,t entered into between the Inspector-General Lay and the Foreign-office, and to appoint the said Osborn to be Assistant C o mmander-in-Chief, and to direct him, in accordance with the articles of the agree ment, to co-operate with the Chinese commander n-chief in the command of the fleet now commis- sioned. " It is to be expected that the fleet will act with vigour against the enemy. The crews are to be kept under strict discipline, and not suffered to annoy the people. If trading vessels, whether Chinese or foreign, illegally engage in the carriage of muni tions of war, they are to be seized and detained until receipt of orders from the Foreign-office. If there are pirates on the Chinese seas or rivers from time to time, no matter where the place may be, they arc to be captured and destroyed, in order to the complete restoration of tranquillity. " As regards smuggling and smuggling guilds at the ports on the coast and up the rivers, the fleet is authorised to take measures for the duo repression of the same. The said assistant commander-in chief will, moreover, consider himself under the orders of the Governor-GJneral of the Two Keaug and the Governor of Keang-soo, and will take their instructions as to the disposal from time to time of his force. " (Enclosure.) "Five rules agreed upon respecting the steam fleet "1. It has been settled that the post of Chinese Commander-in-Chief of the steam fleet now pur chased shall be filled by the high officers selected by the Chinese Government, and that Captain Osborn, C. 8., a British subject, shall be assistant Comman der-in-Chief for a period of four years. The affairs of the fleet to be managed by the said Commanders in-Chief in a friendly spirit of co-operation. While me to be 'the naval assistant of such a Man darin.' „ "G. To the argument advanced by the ChineK Foreign-off - la) that the course proposed by Prince Kung is a usual one in China,' I reply I did not coma here, or my foriowers either, to accustom ourselves to the treatment usual with Chinese sailors or soldiers, or to assist them in a retrogres.• sive policy in the treatment of European (my/oyes or Europeans in general. The employment of ships of war and war steamers of European con struction is an innovation, that of European officers and gentlemen sti.l more so. I and my force are part and parcel of a new order of things indicating progress in China.' I will be no party to her lapsing back into her ancient system and treating Europeans as if they were Chinamen. "European commerce in China, and consequent intercourse, is a departure from all foregone cus- ;OM " The presence of Europeans at the open ports is the same. " The residence of European Legitions in Pekin strikes at the root of China's most ancient preju • dices. _ _ " The entire responsibility of the conduct of the provincial authorities towards our merchants and missionaries being forced upon the Ministers at Pekin is another departure from the most cherished institutions of these people. " I merely claim for the European force under my command another stride in the same wise direction, and I will not, on all the foregone grounds, depart from a line of policy decided upon by Mr. Lay and myself after long and careful discussion—a line of conduct approved, I am sure, by my countrymen and. profession, and which I see more and more reason not to swerve from since I have noted the present bearing of the Pekinese authorities towards foreigners. "I may add in general terms that if I required any con firmation of my opinion of the utter impossibility of serving the Chinese Government upon the terms the Prince sug gests, I should find ample grounds in my own experiences while at Shanghai, as well as in the information General Brown gives me of Major Gordon's present position. I found on my arrival at Shanghai that the Foutai's agents had tampered with the crews of the vessels under my orders. They were told that the Foutai would give them higher wages than those I engaged them at, that they would all be made officers, and that the discipline existing among the Europeans in his steamers was far pleasanter than the order I enforced. Puzzled to find such a different system existing in what was called the Imperial service, the men became naturally disaffected and anxious to leave me to join the Europeans employed by the Fouati ; and to enable them to do so without prejudice to their pockets I found they were actually offered ,2 a head bounty, the money to be lodged in the names of the deserters in an English bank. I had to discharge 14 men, and was detained several days at Shan ghai in consequence. It was no fault of the Foutai's that I was not detained there altogether. " Foutai Le is an able Chinaman, and as unprincipled as all Chinese officials, His plan would be to render me power less, and then to use or toss me aside, just as he does all European leaders in his force. He is a civilian by educa tion, ruling over military and naval affairs without the slightest knowledge of either. He is squandering the re venue of the province as well as that derives' from European trade, and is in league with unprincipled traders in Shang hai. Although he can procure from the British stores all such military supplies as he can require, ho is encouraging the import of munitions of war by private firms, and grant ing permits to land the same in spite of all our proclama tions against the importation by foreigners of goods contra band of war. Having secured the services of an excellent officer in Major Gordon, who appears to have entered his service, not that of the Emperor of China (for he holds no . authority from the latter), Foutai LC: proceeds to render him powerless, and to hamper his action in two ways—first, by depriving him of the means to carry out any decisive measures ; end next, by placing in exactly similar positions a number of other Europeans, and playing one off against the other. Major Gordon wishes to attack Souchow-foo, and asks for 100 Europeans. The Foutai agrees, but says the Iso men must only be entered for one month, Gordon declines to enter into any such arrangement, seeing its in justice and folly. The Foutai insults him by questioning his desire to fight the rebels, and proposes tnat the assault ing column shall be formed of all the European officers in his employ, ani that over their bodies the Chinese would advance to victory. " Again, what faith can I have in any mandarin's listen ing to my advances as a subordinate, when I am told by General Brown, Commander-in-Chief of our military forces in China, and the superior of the Foutai, that he will listen to no advice or suggestion the General offers, that he pur posely avoids all conference with him ; and when an inter• view is sought by General Brown insolently replies that ho is too busy to see him ? and be it remembered that Foutai LC: is not a bit more unreasonable than:other mandarins,and that ho is an average specimen of his class. SHERARD OSBORN." No. G. NPECTOn-GkNERAI , H, N. LAY C. 8., TO CAPTAIN SHER:AIto OSBORNE, It N., 0.13. "Pekin, Oct. 13, ISC3. " Sir,--I regret to say that at an interview which I had to-day by appointment with the President of the Foreign office, Wansiang, he requested me to intimate to you that the Prince of Kung would decline to ratify the agreements entered into by us under his letter of instructions of October, 1862,—1 have, &c., "11. N. LAY, No. 7. CAPTAIN SIIERNRD OORNE, R.N., C. 13., TO THE rItINCE SB OF KUNG. " Pekin, Oct. 15, 1863. - No. 9. "Your Royal llighners,—l have the honour to request that you will be pleased to furnish me officially, and in writing, with your decision relative to the agreement entered into between your agent, Mr. Hor a tio N. Lay, In spector-General, and myself. "The Inspector-General informs mo:that after a delay of four months and a half, during which time your Royal Highness has neither acknowledged a single letter nor re ferred to the agreements, Wansiang informed him formally that you intended to adhere to your manifest intention of ignoring all such agreements, as evinced in your instruc tions already addressed tome. " I may remind yon that I have now been three weeks in Pekin fruitlessly endeavouring to point out to the members of your Foreign-office, through Mr. Lay, that your instruc tions to me are entirely contrary to the understanding under which her British Majesty's Government permitted myself and others to agree to serve the Emperor of China, and that I declined to act except upon the terms explicitly laid down in our agreements. " To all these representations no attention has been paid. "I therefore avail myselt of this opportunity to remind you of the circumstances under which the force I command has been placed at your disposal. Last year (1862) you and in an unofficial form to the British Minister of Lega tion in Pekin for assistance to procure men-of-war of an European construction ; you were recommended to employ your own official, the Inspector-General, as the best agent. You set aside a large sum of money; you ordered the ves sels, and you gave instructions to both Mr. Hart and Mr. Lay to procure not only ships, but proper officers and men to'fight and manage them ; and, lastly, you furnished your Inspector-General with a formal authority to enter into all such agreements as he might think necessary to carry ou the object you had in view. Upon the strength of that au t thority to your agent, and supported as your wishes were by the official representations of his Excellency Sir F. Bruce, her Majesty's Government were pleased to suspend offavou of China the Neutrality Act, and the Admiralty Great Britain granted me and other officers permission to serve the Emperor of China for a stated period, and every assistanceitance was given by all departments to aid the Emperor out the wishes expressed in your instructions to Mr. Lay. " The Inspector-General having satisfied me that the powers you had given him were ample, I entered into cer as - ta i n agreements with him, subject to your ratification Regent of China. It only remains for me to say that my power to maintain order and discipline in the force is now at an end, and that if I do not receive a favourable reply within 48 hours it will be necessary to immediately disband the force. --I have, &c., «SuMILARD OSBORN." No. 8. it CAPTAIN SItER/011) OSBORN, R.N., C'B''To His EXCELLENCY SIR F. Bitucu, H.C.8., O. "Pekin, Oct. 19, 1863. "Your Excellency,—Prince Kung having failed to ratify the agreements entered into between Inspector-General H. N. Lay, C.B , and myself, it becomes necessary for me to disband the European-Chinese naval force. " I have the honour to enclose you copies of the agraa• meats in question, as well as all correspondence, and to re quest you will inform me whether you see any objection to my surrendering to Prince sung the 8 ships which I have brought to this country. They are Imperial property, and I have no right to detain them; but I would submit that that there might los some danger if vessels of so formidable a character were trusted to the rowdies and pirates now so numerous in Shanghai, and who, I dare say, are quite ready to serve the provincial authorities without agreements or guarantees. " Directly I receive your Excellency's official instructions upon that point I shall, in conjunction with Mr. Lay. pro ceed to dissolve the force, sending the officers and men to England in detachments, and reporting all the circum ' stances to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and sending them an exact description of the ships if you decide upon not surrendering them. --1 have, &c., SIIERARD OSBORNE." Ms EXCELLENCY SIR F• BRUCE, K.C.8., TO CAP• TAIN 6HEILARD OSBORN, R.N., C.B. "British Legation, Pekin, Oct. 20, 1863. ! 6 have received your letter witb, its enoleswes, informing me of the refusal of Prince Kung to, ratify the agreements entered into by his agent, Mr. Lay, and your self, and of your consequent resolution to disband the force. " I have informed his Imperial Highness of my convic tion that her Mak:sty Government would not have con sented to the organization of this powerful squadron had it not been on the understanding that it was to be placed under the orders of an officer, in whose prudence and high cha racter they had full confidence—and that I will not consent to the ships and stores being handed over to the Chinese Government without instructions to that effect from her Majesty's Government. " I, therefore, request you to take measures for keeping them in deposit until the pleasure of her Majesty's Govern ment be known--I am, &c., FREDEEICii: W. A. BRUCE." No. 10. CAPTAIN SITERARD OSBORN, R.N., C. 8., TO HIS EXCELLENCY SIR F. BRUCE, K.C.B. "Pekin, Oct. 27, 1863. "Sir, —Consequent upon the receipt of your Excellency's letter of the 20th inst., in which you acquaint me you will not consent to the surrender of the ships and stores to the Emperor of China, and desire me to take measures for keep ing them in deposit until the pleasure of her Majesty's Go vernment shall be known the following questions have arisen in my mind, upon which I solicit your early instruc- IJ”. P... • " 1. If the Emperor of China should repudiate the ar rangements recently sanctioeed for the regular payment of this force, what steps am I to take to avcid selling the ships and stores according to the 10th article of my agreement ? As Prince liung has already repudiated his former instruc tions to Mr. Lay, I am compelled to anticipate the proba bility of his treating all the engagements in the same fashion. "2. Where shall I procure funds for the maintenance of the force, pending the orders of her Majesty's Government ? "I have, &e., " SHERARD OSBORN." No. 11. HIS EXCELLENCV Slit F. BRUCE, it.c.D., TO CAPTAIN SHERARD OSBORN, R.N., C.B. " Pekin, Nov. 6, 1863. " Sir,—As you are aware, the scheme of keeping the ships of the flotilla in deposit, awaiting instructions from her Majesty's Government has been abandoned, and the Chinese Government has requested me to send the vessels to England to be disposed of. His Imperial Highness ex presses his thanks to yourself for the trouble to which you have been put in procuring the fleet, and in bringing it out to China, and requests you to accept 10,000 taels in addition to your pay for the labour entailed upon you by it. "He further requests that the ships may be put under another flag. That, however, is a point which must be left to your discretion. I have, therefore, to request that you will take charge of the vessels and men, with a view to the disposal of the former in England or in India, as you think best. The officers and men to be sent home and to be paid up to their arrival in England. "But as the contract may be construed to give them a claim for pay for three months after their arrival, or up to the ?.oth of August, it will be advisable to obtain the opinion of counsel as to the liability, of the Chinese Government, they having declined to accept the flotilla, on the ground of their agent having exceeded his authority in the conditions attached to the scheme, you will feel with me that our honour is involved in winding up this affair on terms as little onerous as possible to the Chinese Government. I will give in structions to the consuls to contribute what may be required, out of the moneys received by them on the indemnity ac count, to meet such part of the expenses of sending the vessels home as the Chinese Government is unable to pro vide for. The such, so advanced, will form a lien on the ships and to be deducted from the expenses of sale, or set off against the ships and stores, should her Majesty's Go. vernment decide on taking arty of them back. " I think it butjust to you to express my entire approbation of the honourable and dignified course you have pursued during the discussion of the question at Pekin. An Officer more alive to pecuniary advantages, less scrupulous as to the interests of Groat Britain, and less careful of his own honour, might have admitted some unsatisfactory compro mise as to his poiti.m, and might have trusted to an arbi trary exerei,e of the power wielded by him to have extricated himself from future embarrassments. By your firmness you have saved Great Britain from complications, and you have vindicated the honour of the British uniform in the eyes of the Chinese by refusing to accept an unbecoming position. However disappointing the result of your honourable wish to advance the cause of progress in China, you have the consolation of knowing that you have gained the respect and approval of persone of every nation who are acquainted I with the course you have pursued. " I am, sir, your obedient humble servant, " FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE." " Choefoo, Nov. 14, 1863 (GENERAL MEMORA.N BUM.) " Tien-tsin, Nov. 9, 1863 " I have with great regret to inform the officers, seamen and marines under my command that it has been necessary to send them to England in consequence of the Emperor of China having refused to ratify the agreement entered into between myself and his agent, Inspector-General 11. N. Lay, C,8., upon the faith of the Prince Regent's instruc tions. " The Emperor wished to place the entire control and disposition of the squadron under the irresponsible autho rity of the provincial mandarins, and to supersede me as Commander-in-Chief, leaving it to the local mandarins to form as many squadrons of European vessels as they might see fit, under diffzrent officers and under different aystems of pay and discipline. " Were I to accept such a position for this force, and thus take service under provincial and subordinate Chinese offi cials, inster.d of under the Emperor of China, I should vie. late the spirit and word of her Most Gracious Majesty's Order in Council, and act in disregard of the wishes of her Majesty's Government forgetful of every pledge I gave be fore I undertook the organisation of the squadron. "To surrender ourselves to the irresponsible orders of local mandarins would certainly make us participators in acts of plunder and cruelty which would bring disgrace uponus as British officers and seamen. " I have, therefere, had no hesitation in refusing to depart from the terms laid down long before we left England. " Provided the crews continue to conform to the rules and regulations of their agreement, they will be kept upon full pay until their arrival in England, and receive whatever further sum they may be justly entitled to under its con ditions. "It only remains for me to cordially thank the captains, commanders, officers, seamen, and marines of the squadron for their hearty support and excellent conduct during the time the vessels have been in commission, and to wish them a pleasant and speedy passage to their homes, " SIMARD OSBORN, Captain, Royal Navy." " the Captains and commanders of the Euro • pean-Chinese navy, consider it but just to you to state for mally that the course you have deemed right to pursue in disbanding the said force has only served to strengthen those feelings of reliance and respect which induced us to take service under you. "And, further, that by your firmness with the Chinese Government in refusing to act under any other authority than that of the Emperor himself, you havo saved us from an essentially false position, one which could only have been as repugnant to our own feelings as it would have been to yours.—We are, sir, your most . obedient servants, "HUGH T. BURGOYNE, V.C., Pekin. "C. S. FORBES, Keatgsoo. " S. lqouwaY, Ballarat. "NOEL OSBORN, Chine. "ALLEN YOUNG, Quantung. " G. B. NICHOLAS, Tien-thin. "B. CitniKsHANK, Thule. "To Captain Sherard Osborn, Commander-in- Chief, European-Chinese Navy." THE ,ALABAMA. • BATAVIA, Nov. 14, 1863. Oa the morning of the 12th inst. the officers and crew of the American ship Amanda, GOO tons register, arrived at the United States Consulate hero, reporting that on the night of Friday, the Gth inst., 120 miles S.S.W. of Java Head, in the Indian Ocean, the Amanda was burnt by the Alabama, Semmes commander. She had on board a ful cargo of sugar and hemp, shipped by Messrs. Ker and Co., of Manilla, and was bound fir Queenstown. After the crew of the Amanda were taken on board the Alabama the ves sel was burnt, and the Alabama steered for Sunda Straits, where she arrived at night time and anchored close under the coast of Sumatra. When there she was informed by a Dutch vessel lying at anchor that the United States ship Wyoming was at Batavia, upon which she steamed on, always keeping close to the Sumatra coast, and finally run ning out of the Sunda Straits, stood in near North Island on the 10th inst., and at 5 p.m. signalled the American clip per ship Winged Racer, 1,770 tons register, Cummins com mander, which ship was owned by Mr. It. L. Taylor, of New York, and had on board a full cargo of sugar and hemp, bound from Manilla for New York, shipped by Messrs. Peele, Hubble, and Co. After distributing her crow in three of the ship's boats they were permitted to take such clothing, provisions, and water as they wanted and the boats could carry, and the ship was burnt. Capt. Cummins, who had his wife and child, went on board the British ship Julia, bound from Shanghai for London, then at anchor not far off, and they were landed at Anjer. The Alabama then put the crew of the Amanda into a boat, in which they arrived at Batavia. The Winged Racer sunk at half-past 8. When the Alabama was last seen she was steering for the northward. The United States' ship Wyoming left Batavia on the morning of the Bth inst. for a cruise, having been detained at Batavia in order to repair her machinery. The Amanda was the first vessel destroyed by the Alabama since she left Cape Town. By later telegram the Alabama was cruising between North Island and Nicholas Point. The Wyoming had gone on a cruise to Christmas Island, supposed to be a coaling `ration for rebel steamers. --- No HOME complete without a WILCOX AND GIBBS' SEWIND-MACIIINE. Simple, compact, efficient, durable, and noiseless. Warranted to fulfil all the requirements of a perfea family machine. Prospectus fre 9U application at No, 135, Ueg 'flt-Otreet, W,-LADyT.3 LIE COLONY OF VICTORIA. we take the following eunnniry of news froth he Melbourne Age of Nov. 25 •, The transportation ques:iou occupies the public mind, `,e the exclu6ion of ahuost every other topic. We await the result, of the remonstrances to the Homo Government with feverish anxiety. "The general half-yearly meeting of the shareholders of [he National Bank of .iustralasia was held on Tuesday, 3d Nov. Sir F. Murphy occupied the chair. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. They represented the affairs of the bank to be in a very satisfactory state, and that a net profit had been made for the half-year, after paying off bad and doubtful debts, of £26,038 5s 4d. The report also showed that £11,463 12s lid had been received for pre miums on shares. From these sources a dividend at the rate of 8 per cent. per annum was declared ; the balance of the preliminary expenses was paid off, amounting to £6,000, and £15,000 was placed to the reserve fund. Mr. Andrew Sutherland was unanimously elected to the office of direc- tor, in the scorn of Mr. George Rolfe, resigned. " A new harbour, named Martin's Bay, has been dis covered on the west coast of New Zealand, from which the Otago fields may be easily and expeditiously reached. This discovery is considered of the greatest importance, as by it the distance, in point of time, between Melbourne and the New Zealand goldfields is very considerably lessened, and already associations are being formed for the settlement of the new territory. Those best qualified to judge are of opi nion that before long Dunedin and Port Chalmers will rank second in importance to the new township and harbour, which will be formed on the opposite coast of the island. "A new mineral has been discovered in the neighbour hood of the Upper Yarra, or rather in the locality which may be more correctly described as the basin of the Yarra. The mineral resembles that known as sapphirine, and is harder than topaz, which it scratches. It will be principally valuable for the purposes of the lapidary, polishing other stones, &c. Mr. George ZTlrick, the well known mineralo gist, is about to analyse and name this, which will be the first new mineral known and described in Victoria. Al though it has as yet only been found in the portion of the colony referred to above, we understand that it is likely to be met with wherever the granite formation predominates. GOLD AND THE GOLDFIELDS. The past month has been one of considerable activity on the goldfields. Mining operations have been of a more ex tended character, and the diggings population have no rea son to complain of the returns. The Raywood rush, so named after the original prospector, near Bendigo, has been gradually increasing in importance since its first opening at the close of last month. It lies six miles north of the Se bastian, and the only drawback seems to be a scarcity of water, there being no proper supply for washing purposes nearer than four or five miles. Goid is found in large quantities at a depth of from 30 to 35 feet, but when the sinking is carried deeper, the yield perceptibly falls off. The gold is heavier than that of the Sebastian, and appears to be more plentiful than in that locality. No defined lead has yet been discovered, and though the quartz reefs wear a very promising appearance, they have not yet been properly prospected. Within the last fortnight a large township has sprung up, and the storekeepers, who already derive support from a very large population, are sanguine of the establishment of a prosperous and perma nent goldfield. The various auriferous localities of the neighbourhood, have, in some instances turned out rich yields. Early in the month a 176 cz, nugget was found in the Red Jacket Gully, and a nugget weighing 6oz. was washed out in Armfield's Gully. The diggings at the Sheep wash have also been locked up of late, Attention has re cently been turned to the necessity of utilising quartz tail ings in some more efficient way. It seems that a party of Chinese at Sandhurst have made an offer to keep several miles of road in repair for the privilege of using and wash. ing the sweepings. If a road contract had been made to pay on such terms as these, it is evident that there is still room for improvement in our quartz crushing machinery. Mining matters at Majorca, which have been very dull for the pdst week or two, are again presenting an improved aspect. The most remarkable and noteworthy project that has been startled in this district, or, in fact, upon any of the goldfields, of late, is the formation of a company for the purpose of tunnelling the Redbank and Moonambel dividing range from its southern base. Such a work will require a very large capital ; but it is said that there is every reason to believe the speculation will prove a paying ono in the long run. Rich alluvial deposits have been found on the Moonambel ana Red bank sides of the range, and scarcely a lump of quartz with which this mountain barrier is so pro fusely strewn, when tested, fails to show the presence of the precious metal. A new rush has set in between the Black Swan and the United Kingdom Companies, and the yield is likely to be from 15 dwt to 110 dwt to the load. At Inglewood the Great Western Reef, which was deserted some time since, has been again taken up, and some good gold-bearing stone has been struck. A rush is also reported at Burnt Creek, which supports a large number of miters. Several new rushes have also occurred about Amherst, and some very good stone has recently been obtained from the Star Reef. The hole has been profitably worked at a depth of 70 feet, and at the lowest level the quartz so far improved as to yield at the rate of nearly an ounce to the ton. The shaft is now being carried deeper, and the stone has improved in pro portion to the depth reached. A rush has broken out at Fryer's Creek, in the Castlemaine district, and it is ex pecled that some two miles of ground will be further remu nerative. The returns from the reefs are not below the average. Several new reefs have been lately opened at or near Tarrengower, and very satisfactory prospects have been obtained from them. One called Butler's Reef was disco vered by two fat mers—father and son, of that name—at Joyce's Creek, on the road to &neaten, about 11 miles from Malden, Another reef has been struck by a Mr. Braithwaite, of the Mount, who was last week induced to prospect an old shelf on an abandoned reef, about a quarter of a mile south of Cookman's Reef. It is supposed that the stone raised will yield over one ounce to the ton. A third reef has been opened by Messrs. Crockett and Sons, about two miles south of Otago Reef, Sandy Creek. They have already crushed one large lot, and obtained nearly two ounces per ton. The , reef, which has, of course been crushed, is christened Tee.. ,otal Reef. EXECUTION Or LUKE CHARLES, The ex-policeman, Luke Charles. who was sentenced to death at the recent Liverpool assizes for the murder of his wife, suffered the extreme penalty of the law at Kirkdale Gaol on Saturday morning. The circumstances attending the murder are most curious and interesting. The prisoner, previous to 1854, was a mem ber of the Irish police, and stationed at Heath, near Emo, in county Wicklow. In the Christmas of that year he mar ried the unfortunate deceased, but they did not live toge ther. In Ireland the police are amenable to military and very rigid discipline, and as they live in barracks they are not allowed to marry without leave, and it unfortunately happened that Charles did not obtain permission to marry when he made the deceased his wife. He lived in barracks, she remaining with her friends, After the prisoner had been married two or three years he formed the acquaintance, at Emo, of a girl, named Ellen Ford, to whom he proposed marriage; and Ford, thinking him a single man, accepted him. The prisoner did not fix a time for marrying Ford, tell ing her he would do so as soon as he could procure a situa tion in some police forcein England. The prisoner ultimately did leave Ireland in 1361, and on the 2d Aral in that year he called at the house of a sister of his wife's, named Julia Dunn, who lived at Pendleton. He remained for some time at Pendleton, and after reporting himself to the police autho rities at Preston, he was sent to Bury, where his wife joined him is lodgings at the house of Mrs. Porrith, a widow. Mrs. Porrith had a daughter, Amelia Farrar, and on the evening of Feb. 13, last year, both these persons saw the deceased and the prisoner going (though not together) in the direc tion of the Bury station, whence trains left for Manchester. Mrs. Charles met Mrs. Porrith near the house, and giving her the key, said she was going to her sister's at Pendleton, and that she would return about nine o'clock the same evening. The train left at 5.43 p.m„ and at Clifton four persons got out, two of them women, who waited for a train from Manchester and went in it in a northerly direction ; white the other two, a man and a woman, took a direction which would lead them to the towing path of the Manches ter, Bolton, and Bury Canal, These latter persons were the prisoner and his wife, and they proceeded a!ong the canal bank for some distance in the direction of Pendleton. Before reaching Pendleton the murder of Mrs. Charles was committed, but the details of the deed are not known. Most probably Charles stunned his victim by repeated blows on the head, and throw her into the canal. During the early part of the morning of the 14th of February, about seven o'clock, a person named John Green, a workman at Messrs. Knowles's colliery, was going along this canal side, when he observed a person on the towing path, carrying a clothes • prop. On coming closer up he found this man extracting from the canal a quantity of female apparel—a night-dress, crinoline, and other things. His suspicions were excited, and grapnels having been obtained, the body of a woman was dragged up a few yards from the place where the clothes were found. The body was taken to the Pendleton Work house, where an inquest was held ; but, as no person could identify the body, it was buried on the 18th at the Pendleton Cemetery. The usual " routes "or descriptions of the body were published and sent to the various police-stations, including the station at Bury where the prisoner was, and were hung up for a considerable time. After the murder the deceased woman's sister and many other friends asked Charles where his wife had gone, and how she was, and he answered them in this manner : " Mary is not at home. She is in county Wicklow." " She is in Dublin in St. Mary street, with a Miss Evans, and if she is not there I do not know where she is." " I know well enough where she is, but I will not satisfy you." "My wife is in Ireland with her mother. I transmit her money by Post-office order." In August the prisoner went over to Ireland and brought the girl Ellen Ford to England with him, previously trying without success, to induce a Roman Catholic priest to marry them.. The culprit's transactions with Ellen Ford are best described in her own words :—" I have known the prisoner five or six years. He was a police-officer stationed at The Heath,' Maryborough, when I first knew him, and I was living at Emo with my mother. When I had known him about two years he proposed to marry me. I accepted hiw. He asked PAO t 9 gv with, ),tioa, to the priut to be married first in August, 1862, and at-sin in August, 1863. The priest to whom we ws:nt, on the first occa sion was the Rev. Mr. O'Connell. I cannot remember bow long be had been paying his afilres:--es to me be- , fore that time. I remember that he told me when be left the Irish constabulary that his abject in doing so was to make me comfortable. He visited Ireland three times after he came to live in England. The first time was in November, 1861; the second was in August, 1862 ; and the third in August, 1863. I corresponded with him during his absence. The priests refused on each occasion to marry us for want of the requisite certificates. After the last refusal, the prisoner remained for a short time at inY mother's house, and on the 7th of August I lelt Ireland with him. We arrived at Bury on the same day, and went to lodge at Mrs. Whit+ington's. The prisoner and I occupied separate roues. The prisoner remained at Mrs- Whittington's two days, and then went to lodge at Mrs• Balfe's. I remained a week at Mrs. Whittington's and then went to Mrs. Balfe's also. I stayed there only two days, and teen went to my sister's, at Conis - on, in West moreland. The prisoner accompanied me as far as Bolton." Deceased's sister, Julia Dunn, was continually subjecting Charles to a harassing cross-examination, and at last his crime was disclosed. he told Charles on one occasion that if he did not voluntarily say where his wife was he would be compelled to tell, He said, "If I don't know, they can not make me tell." After this Julia Dunn said, "Charles, I understand you have been to Ireland; have you brought Mary with you ?" He said, " Oh, no ; she is here in Bury. ° Julia Dunn replied, "A:1 right, where is she?" "Oh, you must not see her; she told me I was not to tell you." Dunn asked what objections the deceased could have to her know' lug where she was, and Charles then became angry, and said, t‘ You must go to the police-office, if you wsnt to know," This was an unfortunate speech for Charles, for Julia Dunn went to the police-office, and after the prisoner had been several times spoken to by his superior officers s strict investigation was instituted, and the deceased's WY was exhumed and recognised. It displayed marks of via lence, and her life had evidently been destroyed by foul means. Our readers know the rest. Ola Friday evening Luke Charles retired to rest soon after ten o'clock, and requested the turnkeys to call him at five o'clock in the morning. The turnkeys, however, did not disturb him as they were desired, and he slept very soundly until six a.m. He partook of the usual gaol break , . fast at ten o'clock, and Captain Gibbs, the governor, then asked him if ho wished to make any statement, but he said he did not. The Rev. Mr. Gibson, the Catholic chaplains administered the Holy Sacrament and gave the unhapPY culprit the last blessing of the Church, and also read the recommendation to a departing soul. Charles made no con' fession to the Rev. Mr. Gibson, unless it was in the conies' sional. He was visited twice after his conviction, on the first occasion by a woman with whom he had lodged at Built and last Sunday by his brother, who accidentally heard through the medium of the public papers that a man named Luke Charles was to be hanged, and fancied it might be brother of his whom he had not heard of for many years, and accordingly went to the gaol. Charles walked upon the scaffold immediately after 12 o'clock at noon on Satur' day. He was deadly pale, and kept his eyes closed although he walked steadily. Calcraft adjusted the cap and rope with great rapidity, and the drop having.. fallen, Charles WO dead in an instant. Between 5,000 and 6,000 people assay' bled to witness the execution. COUNTRY MARKETS. YORK— SATIJRDAY. Since last week the frost has been very severe. Yottni wheat is looking extremely well, tut a moderate fall 0 snow would now be of great advantage to the plant. The r/ was a tolerable attendance of farmers at market to-day, an an average supply of wheat was offering. Last week's 0111 ‘ rencies advanced fully is per qr. Wheat, red 38s to 41s Oats.... lBs to 20i White do .42s to 46s Beans .. 38, , , to 4 01 Barley .28s to 32s Peas --s to -A ..• • o no Malt, 5Ss to 60s per qr.; rye, 30s per qr.; flour, c ) " to 32s per sack. NOILWICH-4/iTURDAY. There was a better feeling in the trade, and prices 1 3 ;1. be considered is per tit- dearer than on this day se'nnigP o There was a moderate supply of barley, and, the farm er demanding more money, there was not much doing. Vl °tit 6d to is per sack dearer. White wheat. 4 4 s to 46Q / Red wheat 43. to 4 1° 3 , 5 ° Malting barley ...36s to 37s I Chevalier barley 34s to di Distilling do 30s io 32s I Oats.. 24. to `2‘' Flour, 28s Od to —5 Od per sack from the miller NOTTINGHAM—SATURDAY. N At this corn market to-day there was a fair attendallcz ie , farmers and factors, and the .show of wheat was tolerfiv'o Sales were made freely, at is advance on the previous WI, —White wheat, from 40s to 455; red wheat, 39s to 'Pi a Barley—malting, 30s to 40s ; grinding, 27s to 30s. °;so old, at 24s to 31s Od ; new, 20s to 255. Beans sold at to 43s per qr, ; new, 35s to 375. GRANTHAM—SATunDAY. Old white wheat, 44s to 48s ; red, 39s to 42s per 30' new white, 40s to 458 ; red, 32s to 425. Malting bail) 33s to 36s per qr ; grinding, 28s to 30s ; oats, old, 2 , 4° 283; new, 20s to 24s ; beans, 383 to 40s; peas, 34s to N ORT HAM P TON—SATURDAY. cor: i We had an average show of wheat on offer at this Atl i). market to-day, in good condition. The trade was —White wheat, 40s to 465; red, 37s to 40s ; fink,* to —s per qr. Barley, 35s to 37s—grinding, 28s to • Oats, 28s to 32s per 24 stone. Beans, 38s to 422. 1" 0 " . 34s to 40s per qr. LEICESTER—SATunDAy. do/ We were supplied with a fair quantity of wheat I° ,, f o t from the growers. Late pikes generally maintain ed mostly all descriptions of grain. 36/ New white wheat, 40s to 455; red, 38s to 41s Pe t f. n p stone. Old red, 39s to 41s per 36 stone. Barley, Ini"„tor new, 33s to 38s per qr.; grinding, 29s to 325; olcl i ," 0 - 01 25s to 30s • new oats, 22s to 25s per 24 stone. .i' c „," l3 . old, 3Ss to 42s per 38 stone ; flour, 30s to 35s per 20 10' Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. ~,, 1 .5 ' Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton . ..- --. 11. via Marseilles .. • J an ' 3 , drazil and Cape Verde, by British packet Fe." 0, Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena J llll. .1 5 ' China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southarupton.JO' ;7,4 , via Marseilles Ja n ' Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton PO' 0' India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton J° ll lo , via Marseilles P' l3 ' 11. India (Bombay), via Southampton Jan' ..-.. via Marseilles Jail' 31. Portugal..., Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Jo il. via Marseilles Jai , Newfoundland • • Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet... •••'°", ' by U.S. packet... • , 0 D' by Canadian packet.. 4 6 10 1 W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe on Bahamas, via New York Jan' 0' Mexico .. •, JO' 0 , All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, I PO' California. and British Columbia.. A MODEL COUDITY.— n At the Epiphany "O eon f on Sessions of the Peace for the County of Westro ()— t or opened at Appleby on Monday, the chairman t al° o ° the gratifying tact that the calendar was blank. T ii ; o oll' not a single prisoner for trial. He complimented the upon this immunity from crime even in the hardest tlopto [A DVERTIS EMENT.] —Consumption, all nervous, I)„,,"ar, liver, and stomach complaints, is every stage , are 0 11 .. Da g-ravatei and accelerated by drugs of every descrlptio;ieol perfectly curable by Du Barry's health restoring 1 1 1 A, 10: Arabica Food, as proved by thousands of cases vih'''',l9l; been considered hopeless. We quote a few.—Cure I, Miss Lange, 18 years of age, cured after the medical 51304 d abandoned all hopes of her recovery from the last 01%00 pulmonary consumption, with fearful cough, expect ol4 . e t exhaustion, spitting of blood, perspirations, hollow 01 ' ig e, emaciated to a skeleton. She is now, thank God, a e lf , healthy, blooming, fleshy girl. — N. Lang e, CommisOvold; Police. Cure, No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of rdtfif.; Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting o f blO )10' derangement. and partial deafness.—Cure, No. 47,000°134 Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, 1 0 , d . . f e L° gatherings, low spirits, and nervous tancies.--04.0:1 54,816. 'Hie Rev. James T. Campbell, Fakenhaln.;: t of indigestion and torpidity of the liver, which h A d; all medical reatment. In tins, 11b, 2s 9d; 21% 40 No 11$; 121 b, 225; 241 b, 40s. Barry du Barry and 0" od:i itegent-street, London ; also Fortnum and Mason„„ grocers and chemists in every town of the United Births. e ro t4 HARRISON.—On the 7th inst., at 133, Upper 'llll//33 I the wile of Mr. A. S. Harrison, of a daughter. , 4 10 i 111 i F . ‘GILL.—On the 3d inst., at Pilgrim's 11alitg. !et, Hatch, Brentwood, Essex, the wile of Captain v fi ' M'Gill, of a daughter. vo i, RENDELL.—Ori the 7th inst,, Mrs. Rendell, 00 '' Croydon, of a son, Marriages. .i' l 0 lf A D, , 11D tO STEAVART—CHEIPE.—On the 7th inst , at VAII3 I Alexander Stewart, Esq., Bombay, second' son el the IS' po Colonel Stewart, of Strathgarry, to Elizabet h CO I eldest daughter of Lieutenant-General Sir JO llll io, K,C. IL m org e p WREATLEY—MILLETT.—On the 7th inst., at S t • " 1 1 " Ito Hanover-square, Captain Moreton JohnWheatlelpile to Edith Frances, youngest daughter of Charles Esq., of Queen's-gate-terrace. Deaths. lill.e I ill . e ATKINS.—On the Bth inst., at Counter-hill, Upper ill, ham, John Atkins, Esq., aged 82. . E t•l' Bincrt.—On the 6th inst., Mr, Chas Birch, of 65 fate Wandsworth, aged 76. ~., t Y ELY.—On the 7th inst., at Ely House, Dover ' m il don, the Right Rev. the Bishop of Ely, aged g¢. mil HERRING.—On the 7th inst., at Putney, W 1331 1 t i Esq., aged 54. , ii sei: JEPIISON,—On the 6th inst. at at Hanworth 11.° ,;(1 19 ; i e Hounslow, the Rev. Thomas Jephson, 1 3 -Th' a ieVeO f f PLUMPTRE.—On the 7th inst. at at Fredville, John.gotk" ton Plumptre, Esq., for many years M.P. for „t or, aged 73. lll° VIGEI.s. —On th e 7 t h i ns t., at Streatham, Edward late of Kennin g t on , age d 68. :4 11 sl y l o ff London: Prirized and Published by WILLIAM -; n 4ll S e ' t y 01 of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at T ILE SUN Oweeollo' Strand, in the Precinct of the BavoY• in t ile Middlesex_-110nclaY, JanliarY 11, 1861. t Tin w s , FREEH To nE thrbagh( No. c ' FREE I 'tA latde the nobl, Cottage • OwNEI brace th *Cords, 1 Estate I Lumley 'Where tl ink the venience Timm 'Chaser aJIA they Auct Aul that the the PL 11 13ILD Auction London Print ( Tender they are T' .sitAlfrecl ~. The Direc and t Io Clirre aped; 3% Of Pay 1 se RA To